Little Bird, In Her Cage
by SilentButterflyHigh
Summary: Set after the battle of Black Water, Sandor stays in Kingslanding to protect, and watch over the little bird.


Hello Everyone!

Thank you for stopping to read my fan fiction! It means a lot to me. I just wanted to let everyone know that this is my first Game of Thrones/A song of ice and fire, fan fiction! Please be kind! In this story everything is pretty much the same as the show up until Little Finger talks to Sana after Joffrey promises his love to Margery, then it starts to change away from the show and the books! Disclaimer: I own nothing! Lol, now on with the story!

The Hound stood silent as the king's grandfather road into the throne room atop his horse. No doubt to make himself seem as mighty as he could.

He was vaguely aware that the idiot king was speaking, but paid no real attention to what was being said.

_I should have left the night of the wildfire, I could have been long gone by now..._

His eyes shifted quickly to the balcony where he could just see her red hair styled ridiculously atop her head.

He quickly adverted his eyes back to looking straight ahead, he knew why he had stayed. He had told her once that she would be grateful for the hateful things he did, when he was all that stood between her and the king.

"The savior of the city, and the hand of the king"

Those words brought Sandor out of his thoughts as he glanced at Tywin Lannister, he said a simple "Thank you, your grace." With that he turned his horse, and left the room.

_Another puppeteer for the king, no doubt he will be more intimidated by his grandfather than his bitch of a mother. _

Even so, Sandor was not certain if Tywin Lannister being the hand of the king would make things better, or worse.

Little Finger was making some, unfunny joke about needing to acquire some sons, and grandsons the next time Sandor started paying attention once more.

Sansa stood in the balcony, nervously watching Joffrey hand out all this thank "you's". The people thought him kind and courteous, but Sansa Stark knew better…she knew what really mattered in the kings eyes.

Her glance landed on the Hound. She wondered if she had made the right decision, not to leave Kingslanding. He had promised to keep her safe, but then again he had always done his best at that.

She realized that someone in the court had said her name, and quickly her eyes landed on the Queen, she was telling Joffrey to set her aside…and to marry Lady Margery.

Sansa's heart quickened, and she felt a flush come over her whole body. If he didn't have to marry her, no doubt there would be no need for her to stay in Kingslanding… she could go home.

As Joffrey started spouting some nonsense about taking a holy vow she felt her hope plummet.

_He just doesn't want to start over, having to beat someone else for a while. _She thought bitterly.

She glanced down and let a silent prayer slip past her lips that the gods would be merciful, and let Joffrey wed the Tyrell girl.

Just like that it seemed the gods had answered her prayers as she herd the king pledging to love Lady Margery from now until his last day.

She bit her lip to hide the smile that so desperately wanted to surface onto her lips.

Sandor couldn't believe what he was hearing, just like that the King had dropped Sansa Stark like she was stale bread, and was now promised to the Tyrell girl. His eyes glanced once more to Sansa, and he could see her biting her lip, no doubt to hide her joy.

A deep sickening feeling logged itself in his belly, he knew she must be thinking she was going to go home now, but he knew that would never happen. Joffrey might be wedding the Tyrell girl, but he would keep Sansa Stark as a plaything…to beat, and bed her. Now that she was nothing to the king, there was nothing stopping him from doing whatever he wanted to her, and Sandor knew that he would be helpless to stop it.

Sansa quickly turned from the scene, and walked into a hallway, no longer able to hide the smile and the short laugh of relief, that is until she heard someone calling her name.

She turned around to see Lord Baelish walking to her.

That night Sansa sat near her window looking out onto the city, Lord Baelish's words still ringing in her head.

_They won't let me go home, and Joffrey…he will still be free to do as he pleases with me. What am I going to do? I should have left with The Hound when I had the chance! _

At the thought of the Hound she instantly felt a bit better, safer even. He had always been there for her in a rough, crude, yet kind sort of way. Suddenly she was overwhelmed at the joy she had at knowing the Hound had stayed in Kingslanding. Maybe, just maybe things wouldn't be as bad as she thought they would be. He would protect her after all, wouldn't he?


End file.
